East is South, Hampstead Theatre Review
Luke Treadaway as Sasha and Kaya Scodelario as Lena in East is South. Photo by Manuel Harlan
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Ai is a topic which is completely dominating our social media, our cultural spaces and impacting greatly on our environment. However Beau Willimon’s play East is South at the Hampstead Theatre seeks to approach this matter from a philosophical direction, pondering what the Ai Logos (fondly nicknamed Agi) will do when given freedom of the internet and whether it can supersede human intellect. It even goes so far as to ponder whether Ai appreciate God or will it try to overcome Him?
When this play starts we meet two coders locked miles underground in an unnamed USA desert, where a code 3 alert has been issued and two coders Lena (Kaya Scoledario) and Sasha (Luke Treadaway) are being separately interrogated on their actions. They are two coders who are working to create a “kill switch” to disable Agi should she escape containment but things are not as they first seem, with plenty of layers unfurling throughout the play. They are interviewed by NSA agents Darvish (Nathalie Armin) and Olsen (Alec Newman) along with their manager Ari (Cliff Curtis), who is a secret NSA plant. Without revealing much of the spoilers it is through their variety of manipulations and horrible techniques, many details and secrets about the two coders are revealed. Some of these secrets elicited sympathy and others adversion. Their discussion on whether God or the universe creates the other was in particular fascinating.
The set, designed by Alex Eales, is a personality in its own right. Two storied, we see the intentionally bland interrogation room and the surveillance room behind. The room where the interviews happen is deliberately placed below and subtly emphasises the power dynamics between the occupiers of the rooms. It also works well to invoke the tension this play attempts to cultivate. We never see the outside of these rooms and there is a certain timelessness and urgency to the style which would encourage this kind of discussion for years to come.
Directed with precision by Ellen McDougall this show feels confident and clear-minded as it works towards its goal while still remaining sympathetic. The discussion of faith from a variety of sources was interesting as all involved supposedly have abandoned it but show its lifelong impact nonetheless. Curtis’s Haka was particularly beautiful to watch as a conclusion to this discussion without a definitive answer. There are many small humorous moments and times which lighten the levity which I particularly enjoyed as well. The cast are all brilliant and work well to showcase believable workplace dynamics and the vulnerability of faith when confronted with change. I was particularly impressed by Scoledario’s convincing befuddlement and vulnerable sincerity. Curtis and Armins pithy dialogue was also fabulous to watch and see the zingers fly rapidly.
Although this play is very interesting with some brilliant prose and many philosophical questions raised, it does sometimes fall into the lecturers trap of going so far into the rabbit hole of philosophy that the pace of the plot is vastly reduced. While fun to listen to, as we oscillate between the present interrogation and the lead up to this day, it does lessen the tension being cultivated on stage. With a straight running time of 1 hour 40 minutes I was expecting more plot and less pontificating than was supplied. However overall this was a stimulating and very intriguing play, which I anticipate will be the first of many upon this topic.
If you enjoy tense shows which explore the dynamic of faith versus technology, a excellent cast who explore how far we can push the bounds of technology and even how we identify the formation of a soul, then this is the play for you.
At Hampstead Theatre until 15th March 2025
★ ★ ★ ★
